THQ’s big asset auction is due to take place today, but it’s unlikely we will have any real-time updates on what franchises, developers, and other material goes to the highest bidder.

However, one game, South Park: The Stick of Truth, may not be part of that lineup. South Park Studios has filed a complaint alleging the contract between the company and THQ stipulates a new owner cannot be found without the explicit approval of South Park Studios.

There’s more, too. South Park Studios believes it has the right to buy the rights to the game back for the amount of money THQ put into it, which would allow South Park Studios to find a new publisher on its own, rather than participate in the bankruptcy process. It also claims THQ owes South Park Studios money.

THQ said it hoped to resolve differences prior to the auction, but that it doesn’t owe any money, and elements of the deal between THQ and South Park Studios could be auctioned off. It’s unclear which rights THQ is referring to.

THQ’s big asset auction is due to take place today, but it’s unlikely we will have any real-time updates on what franchises, developers, and other material goes to the highest bidder.

However, one game, South Park: The Stick of Truth, may not be part of that lineup. South Park Studios has filed a complaint alleging the contract between the company and THQ stipulates a new owner cannot be found without the explicit approval of South Park Studios.

There’s more, too. South Park Studios believes it has the right to buy the rights to the game back for the amount of money THQ put into it, which would allow South Park Studios to find a new publisher on its own, rather than participate in the bankruptcy process. It also claims THQ owes South Park Studios money.

THQ said it hoped to resolve differences prior to the auction, but that it doesn’t owe any money, and elements of the deal between THQ and South Park Studios could be auctioned off. It’s unclear which rights THQ is referring to.

I really couldn't care less about Atari, but I really hope relic ends up in good hands and doesn't get bought up by an EA, Activion, or god forbid Ubisoft. Would hate to see such a great PC dev in the hands of such an anti PC place like Ubisoft. Will also be interested in seeing whose name ends up on the box for the South Park game. Really looking forward to it.

@Heartagram: Funding, publishing, distribution and making are all different things in the eyes of the law. There is a different company and a different legal teams for each step. THQ being about two of those things for SP Stick of Truth.

I just want Relic to not go under. I still dream of a new Homeworld game...

Considering Homeworld isn't seen to be commercially viable before the recession, the chances of Homeworld 3 being made are pretty damn slim. Regardless I really want another Homeworld as well and would kickstart the shit out of it.

I'd say Warner Bros. needs to buy up Volition and Relic with the rest of THQ being split up between the other companies. I'd say that the worst fit for their studios would be Ubisoft and then Activision and then EA. Other than that, I wouldn't mind any other studio getting THQ's assets.

While i'm interested in the south park game so i hope it ends up well i'm more looking forward to Metro last light, I sure hope that still gets released and a decent publisher picks it up, i would hate for it to just dissapear or the new publisher wanting to make changes.

It's going to be all Quick Time Events and Escort missions from now on! And not the pretty girls kind of escort, no the kind of replay this mission 10 times because the dude you are supposed to protect keeps walking in to your gun kind of escort missions!

I wonder what will happen with Test Drive. Seems most likely that it'll just get left in the dust, seeing as Forza Horizon basically is Test Drive 3. The concern with the other games is someone buys them and starts making really awful new versions, a bit like what happened to Yar's Revenge (though that was still published by Atari).

Wouldn't it be dumb if EA bought the Test Drive name and released Need For Speed: Test Drive and it was a Burnout game made by Criteron?

THIS IS THE BEST KIND OF DUMB.

Also I will put dollars to donuts that no matter what happens with South Park: The Stick of Truth, Obsidian will wind up getting fucked over. I don't know who fucks them over, I just know that Obsidian cannot make a game without getting fucked over.

It's going to be all Quick Time Events and Escort missions from now on! And not the pretty girls kind of escort, no the kind of replay this mission 10 times because the dude you are supposed to protect keeps walking in to your gun kind of escort missions!

Yes yes that's all fine and South Park will be great and all that, but man.. The possibility that Atari will go mobile only is scary shit. In that event I hope they'll make a ton of money and put some of them back into bigger games, cause... Look where that got them. Imagine if it was capcom at some point.. EA presents street fighter, complete with capcom on disc dlc model, missing "true ending", origin account required, online pass and servers being shut down every other two years..

Wouldn't it be dumb if EA bought the Test Drive name and released Need For Speed: Test Drive and it was a Burnout game made by Criteron?

It'd kind of be the perfect encapsulation of this generation.

Actually if you asked me, the best move EA can make is to buy the Test Drive name so it can monopolize the market on long-standing (or dying) racing franchise names. Granted, it's not a healthy choice, but if I owned EA, it's what I would do.

And who knows, they could turn the Test Drive name into... oh I don't know... let's say... a cloud gaming service.

Wouldn't it be dumb if EA bought the Test Drive name and released Need For Speed: Test Drive and it was a Burnout game made by Criteron?

It'd kind of be the perfect encapsulation of this generation.

Actually if you asked me, the best move EA can make is to buy the Test Drive name so it can monopolize the market on long-standing (or dying) racing franchise names. Granted, it's not a healthy choice, but if I owned EA, it's what I would do.

And who knows, they could turn the Test Drive name into... oh I don't know... let's say... a cloud gaming service.